I'll make a few comments on the PBEM system, as I think it's great but it's not typical so it may be confusing to some.

Since this is a "WEGO" game we saw that we could allow players to always be e-mailing two files at a time after initial setup, rather than one at a time. This speeds up play considerably.

The basic idea is that if there are two phases to a turn and you have your opponent's file with his orders for the first phase, you can complete your orders for the first phase, watch the execution and add your orders for the second phase. Then send both phases to him. He watches the first to see what happened. He then adds his orders for the second, watches the execution and gets to put in his orders for the first phase of the next turn. etc.

This makes for speedy PBEM play. The only exception is at the very beginning. You have to both agree on a scenario, then both do setup at the same time, then one player gets both setup files and starts with one phase of orders for Turn 1, before sending it off. From there on, it's always two phases at a time as noted above.

So here's the basic sequence:

1. Both players agree on a scenario and agree who plays each side 2. Each player separately starts that scenario as a multiplayer PBEM and completes their setup 3. Player 1 sends his setup file to Player 2, so that he has both setup files. Player 2 now has both setups and can do the Orders Phase for Turn 1. He sends Turn 1 Orders to Player 1.

--- That concludes the initial setup portion, from here on it rolls...

3. Player 1 loads Turn 1 Orders, adds in his orders, watches it execute. He then continues into Turn 1 Reaction and puts in his orders for that. He then sends those two phases to Player 2. 4. Player 2 gets to watch Turn 1 Orders execution, enters his orders for Turn 1 Reaction, watches that play out. Then puts in his orders for Turn 2 Orders and sends back those last two phases.

Andrew now does his Setup. When he's done setting up his forces, he ends the setup phase and receives a prompt to send his file to his opponent. Since this is the Setup phase and he has nothing else to do, he's done.

He exits the game and e-mails the Setup file in his /PBM/Outbox folder to his opponent.

Bob just received Andrew's Setup file. He saves the file to his /PBM/Inbox folder. Files you receive go in the Inbox. Your own saves to send out are found in the Outbox.

Bob does exactly the same thing Andrew just did, except that he does his Setup for the same scenario from the Soviet side. He decides on "BobsTurns" as his game name and also on "test" as his password.

He is then asked which file to Merge with it. Since it's the Setup phase, you merge your opponent's Setup phase with it. You always merge the same turn+phase with the same turn+phase. Bob selects Andrew's Setup phase and enters his own "test" password and clicks on Merge Files.

This immediately loads the scenario and puts Andrew in his Turn 1 Orders. He now enters his orders and when he clicks to End the Phase, he gets the dialog reminding him to e-mail this file to his opponent Bob.

However, Andrew just merged his Setup files. He has not yet merged his new Turn 1 Orders with the Turn 1 Orders he received from Bob, so he can do another phase.

Since he still has Bob's Turn 1 Orders to merge with the Turn 1 Orders he just finished, Andrew does that. He's back at the Main Menu so he clicks Multiplayer again and this time he chooses his Turn 1 Orders to Load.

This brings him to his Turn 1 Reaction Phase. Andrew does his reaction orders and when he clicks to End the Phase, he gets a reminder to e-mail his file to Bob.

Since Andrew has no Turn 1 Reaction Phase from Bob yet, he's now ahead of Bob again and is done loading and merging files. Andrew sends both his Turn 1 Orders and Turn 1 Reaction files (the two newest in his /PBM/Outbox folder) to Bob.

Bob now receives an e-mail from Andrew with Andrew's Turn 1 Orders and Turn 1 Reaction. He saves both files to his /PBM/Inbox.

Bob's own most recent file is his Turn 1 Orders, so he starts by Loading that and Merging it with Andrew's Turn 1 Orders. As with Andrew, this starts him off at the Replay. Once he's done with that, he clicks Continue to do his Turn 1 Reaction.

When Bob finishes his Turn 1 Reaction, he gets a message reminding him to send it to Andrew. But he's not done, because he already has Andrew's Turn 1 Reaction so he has one more file to merge.

Bob goes back Multiplayer, Loads his own Turn 1 Reaction, Merges it with Andrew's Turn 1 Reaction and watches the Replay. After the Replay, he Continues to his Turn 2 Orders phase. Once that's done, he's now ahead of Andrew again and has no more files to Merge.

Bob now sends his Turn 1 Reaction and Turn 2 Orders (the 2 newest files in his /PBM/Outbox) to Andrew.